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ENLARGE
Sylvia Hines, who has spent most of her summers in Grand Lake since the 1930s, examines some of the information presented during the Windy Gap Firming Project Draft EIS hearing Thursday night at the Inn at SilverCreek in Granby.
Windy Gap Firming Project
According to the Draft EIS:
• The fish habitat would decrease under all alternatives with more water taken from Grand County rivers. The greatest change would occur under the “action” alternative of the Windy Gap Firming Project, in which rivers may see a 24 percent decrease in adult rainbow trout habitat just upstream of the Williams Fork confluence four out of 10 years.
• There would be no adverse impacts to spring spawning rainbow trout and fall spawning brown trout.
• Willow Creek fish habitat would decrease and, worst case scenario, the rafting industry in Gore Canyon could take a major economic hit.
• Grand Lake would also see a greater decrease in water clarity as phosphorous and chlorophyl concentrations in Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Grand Lake increase from more water traveling through the water-delivery system.
• Since levels on Lake Granby would decrease, accessibility to boat ramps at Arapaho Bay, Stillwater and Sunset would diminish, but lower levels are unlikely to impact fish.
• Fish habitat will be enhanced in the Big Thompson River, St. Vrain Creek, Big Dry Creek and Coal Creek on the east side.
• Kayakers in Byers Canyon would not see fewer days in the first 30 years of the project. After that, the season’s kayaking days would be reduced by eight days per year. If no action is taken, kayaker days in July would be reduced on St. Vrain Creek.
• All the alternatives would generate additional hydropower revenues for Western Power Administration, ranging from $850,000 to $1.4 million.
• With or without the project, construction jobs will be created on the East Slope. If Chimney Hollow Reservoir is not built, Ralph Price Reservoir will be enlarged at a cost of $31 million.
• Enlargement of Ralph Price Reservoir would consume 77 acres of elk and mule deer habitat.
• Construction of Chimney Hollow would eat up 810 acres of elk and mule deer winter-range habitat as well as black bear territory.
• It’s estimated a new Chimney Hollow Reservoir would attract 50,000 visitors annually.
Source: The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Draft Environmental Statement, Executive Summary of the Windy Gap Firming Project
• The fish habitat would decrease under all alternatives with more water taken from Grand County rivers. The greatest change would occur under the “action” alternative of the Windy Gap Firming Project, in which rivers may see a 24 percent decrease in adult rainbow trout habitat just upstream of the Williams Fork confluence four out of 10 years.
• There would be no adverse impacts to spring spawning rainbow trout and fall spawning brown trout.
• Willow Creek fish habitat would decrease and, worst case scenario, the rafting industry in Gore Canyon could take a major economic hit.
• Grand Lake would also see a greater decrease in water clarity as phosphorous and chlorophyl concentrations in Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Grand Lake increase from more water traveling through the water-delivery system.
• Since levels on Lake Granby would decrease, accessibility to boat ramps at Arapaho Bay, Stillwater and Sunset would diminish, but lower levels are unlikely to impact fish.
• Fish habitat will be enhanced in the Big Thompson River, St. Vrain Creek, Big Dry Creek and Coal Creek on the east side.
• Kayakers in Byers Canyon would not see fewer days in the first 30 years of the project. After that, the season’s kayaking days would be reduced by eight days per year. If no action is taken, kayaker days in July would be reduced on St. Vrain Creek.
• All the alternatives would generate additional hydropower revenues for Western Power Administration, ranging from $850,000 to $1.4 million.
• With or without the project, construction jobs will be created on the East Slope. If Chimney Hollow Reservoir is not built, Ralph Price Reservoir will be enlarged at a cost of $31 million.
• Enlargement of Ralph Price Reservoir would consume 77 acres of elk and mule deer habitat.
• Construction of Chimney Hollow would eat up 810 acres of elk and mule deer winter-range habitat as well as black bear territory.
• It’s estimated a new Chimney Hollow Reservoir would attract 50,000 visitors annually.
Source: The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Draft Environmental Statement, Executive Summary of the Windy Gap Firming Project
Threats to the region’s coveted natural resource, water, occupied the minds of dozens of Grand County citizens Thursday as they defended why East Slope users should not be allowed to siphon more under the Continental Divide.
“I can say, a great deal more conservation needs to take place on the Eastern Slope,” said Grand Lake resident Sylvia Hines, who vacationed at Grand Lake every summer since the 1930s and lived in Fort Collins for 36 years.
Representatives from some of the East Slope cities that seek more Fraser/Colorado river water to satisfy impending growth also gave testimony.
The Windy Gap Firming Project proposes to divert up to triple the amount of water diverted from Grand County in an average year.
But not long after their testimonies, others pointed out that cities such as Broomfield and Loveland still supply water to customers using a flat rate structure, meaning residents pay the same amount no matter how much water they use.
Cindy Southway of Grand Lake twice delivered her comment about conservation to ensure it would be heard and recorded.
“There needs to be mandatory water conservation restrictions on all subdistrict water users,” she said “I repeat ...”
Grand County citizens made known that ever-present diversions already are affecting fish quantities and habitat in the Colorado River.
“The Colorado River system is already stressed,” said Mitch Kirwin, proprietor of the fishing shop Mo Henry’s in Fraser. “Our economy is tied to our ecology.”
Kirwin called for “reverse action” if possible, rather than “no action” as listed in a draft environmental impacts statement (EIS) analyzing proposed delivery projects.
The EIS’s “No action” would still expand an eastern-side reservoir and divert up to twice what is currently diverted in an average year.
And many Grand Lake-area residents said they worry about how current water delivery is impacting lakes.
Gay Shaffer told U.S. Bureau of Reclamation comment-takers that she has spent 73 summers on Grand Lake and has witnessed lake damage firsthand brought about by Colorado-Big Thompson pumping. More Windy Gap water diversion would mean poorer water quality for it and Shadow Mountain Reservoir.
Shaffer called it a “travesty.”
“The water quality has totally degraded,” she said.
Fishing Lodge owner James Parker said a receding Lake Granby, resulting from greater storage over the Divide, will cause much harm to his business. He characterized the project as taking recreation dollars from the West Slope to build recreation elsewhere as a way “this community gets choked out.”
But the most fiery delivery was from State Rep. Al White who, speaking as a long-time citizen of Grand County, said, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” — regarding the present and past water policies that fail to offer a “win-win” for northernwestern Colorado.
Most of the 47 comments in the assembly of 140 people, compared to 64 EIS meeting attendees in Greeley on Tuesday, called for an extension of the EIS comment period long enough for data from Grand County’s Stream Management Plan to be included, improved conservation for East Slope users, and greater consideration of Denver’s firming project that would also impact Grand County’s rivers.
— Tonya Bina can be reached at 887-3334 ext. 19603 or e-mail tbina@grandcountynews.com.
“I can say, a great deal more conservation needs to take place on the Eastern Slope,” said Grand Lake resident Sylvia Hines, who vacationed at Grand Lake every summer since the 1930s and lived in Fort Collins for 36 years.
Representatives from some of the East Slope cities that seek more Fraser/Colorado river water to satisfy impending growth also gave testimony.
The Windy Gap Firming Project proposes to divert up to triple the amount of water diverted from Grand County in an average year.
But not long after their testimonies, others pointed out that cities such as Broomfield and Loveland still supply water to customers using a flat rate structure, meaning residents pay the same amount no matter how much water they use.
Cindy Southway of Grand Lake twice delivered her comment about conservation to ensure it would be heard and recorded.
“There needs to be mandatory water conservation restrictions on all subdistrict water users,” she said “I repeat ...”
Grand County citizens made known that ever-present diversions already are affecting fish quantities and habitat in the Colorado River.
“The Colorado River system is already stressed,” said Mitch Kirwin, proprietor of the fishing shop Mo Henry’s in Fraser. “Our economy is tied to our ecology.”
Kirwin called for “reverse action” if possible, rather than “no action” as listed in a draft environmental impacts statement (EIS) analyzing proposed delivery projects.
The EIS’s “No action” would still expand an eastern-side reservoir and divert up to twice what is currently diverted in an average year.
And many Grand Lake-area residents said they worry about how current water delivery is impacting lakes.
Gay Shaffer told U.S. Bureau of Reclamation comment-takers that she has spent 73 summers on Grand Lake and has witnessed lake damage firsthand brought about by Colorado-Big Thompson pumping. More Windy Gap water diversion would mean poorer water quality for it and Shadow Mountain Reservoir.
Shaffer called it a “travesty.”
“The water quality has totally degraded,” she said.
Fishing Lodge owner James Parker said a receding Lake Granby, resulting from greater storage over the Divide, will cause much harm to his business. He characterized the project as taking recreation dollars from the West Slope to build recreation elsewhere as a way “this community gets choked out.”
But the most fiery delivery was from State Rep. Al White who, speaking as a long-time citizen of Grand County, said, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” — regarding the present and past water policies that fail to offer a “win-win” for northernwestern Colorado.
Most of the 47 comments in the assembly of 140 people, compared to 64 EIS meeting attendees in Greeley on Tuesday, called for an extension of the EIS comment period long enough for data from Grand County’s Stream Management Plan to be included, improved conservation for East Slope users, and greater consideration of Denver’s firming project that would also impact Grand County’s rivers.
— Tonya Bina can be reached at 887-3334 ext. 19603 or e-mail tbina@grandcountynews.com.
